VESAK FULL MOON POYA DAY

 

The last birth of the Bodhisattvas as Prince Siddhartha took place 2,600 years ago on the full moon day of Vesak. He was born the son of King Suddodana and Queen Maya of the Kapilavastu Kingdom. Prince Siddhartha was born with a large number of followers while she was resting in the Lumbini Garden under a sal tree while the Queen was on her way to her palace in Devda. After the birth, the baby prince walks on seven lotus flowers that have appeared in front of him. The queen has returned to Kapilavastu with her newborn baby. St. Asitha Kaladevala, the teacher of King Suddodana, who visited the palace on the same day, said that the Blessed Prince should be the Savior of the universe.

Apart from Sri Lanka, many Asian countries including India, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan celebrate Vesak. During this time many religious activities were organized in Sri Lanka such as Sil Vyapara, Bodhi Pooja, Dansala (free food, coffee, giving from people), Vesak devotional songs (devotional songs), pandols (thorans) and lamps.

Many temples across the country are filled with devotees and devotees to mark this great festival. Buddhists worship in temples, offer flowers and light lamps. The essence of these traditional celebrations is the value of meeting the religious and emotional needs of the people. Buddhists usually dress in white and go to temples to attend traditional ceremonies. Many of them spend the whole day in the temple reaffirming their determination to follow the teachings of the Buddha.

Vesak Full Moon Poya Day is of special importance to Sri Lankans due to the third visit of the wise man. In the eighth year after Enlightenment, Gautama Buddha came to Sri Lanka at the invitation of King Naga.King Maniyakhika made this invitation when the wise man went to Sri Lanka for the second time to quell a dispute between two Naga groups led by Chulodara and Mahadara. Mahodara, the Naga king who went to Nagadeepa to support his grandson, embraced Buddhism after listening to the Dhamma preached by the Blessed One and invited the Buddha to visit his kingdom - Kelaniya. Gotama Buddha, 80, announced that the third watch on the night of his death, Parinibbana, would be held at the Malla Royal Family's Sal Garden, a Vesak Poya day.